Western Australia's specialised defence office, Defence West, has been given a $4.9 million budget boost to continue its work in championing the State's defence industry and creating more jobs for Western Australians.

The State Budget includes an additional $4.9 million for the operational costs of the office of Defence West, and the establishment of a Defence West advisory panel.

South Metropolitan TAFE (SMT) will be the major training provider in Western Australia for new defence contracts as part of the national Australian Naval Shipbuilding College announced today by the Federal Government.

SMT will be the lead vocational training organisation for trade and semi-professional training in WA for the naval shipbuilding industry.

The Western Australian Government will host leaders from leading national defence companies in a visit designed to highlight the capabilities of the local defence sector.

The Australian Industry Group's Defence Council is a leading voice for the Australian defence industry, and its membership includes the chief executive officers of leading defence companies.

The Defence Council will visit Perth on March 7 and 8 to hold a meeting of its executive, and meet with local industry and the Western Australian Government. This is the first time the Defence Council has visited Perth.

Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia has congratulated Western Australian maritime company, Nauti-Craft Pty Ltd for taking home a national award for innovation.

The Dunsborough-based research and development company has been named a winner in the prestigious 2017 Maritime Australia Industry Innovation Awards, announced earlier today.

Nauti-Craft was awarded the Civil SME Innovation Grant of $10,000 for its patented marine suspension system, which provides increased levels of ride comfort, control and stability through an interlinked hydraulic system.

The company is one of a number of WA's small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), along with South Metropolitan TAFE, being hosted on the Defence West stand during Pacific 2017, a major defence and maritime exhibition in Sydney.

The SMEs hosted on the stand represent a broad range of defence and maritime services and products, including engineering, underwater technologies and manufacturing.

Mr Papalia is attending Pacific 2017 along with WA's Defence Advocate Rear Admiral (Rtd) Raydon Gates AO CSM, and meeting a number of prominent organisations and companies involved in the defence industry.

Rear Admiral Gates will work to deliver defence contracts and jobs to Western Australia

Defence Advocate to take the fight for more defence work to Canberra

Premier Mark McGowan and Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia have today announced the appointment of a Defence Advocate to champion the interests of Western Australia's local defence industry and create jobs.

Rear Admiral (Rtd) Raydon Gates AO CSM retired from the Royal Australian Navy in 2008, after 37 years of service. He has served in a number of leadership roles including Maritime Commander Australia, Commander of the Australian Defence College and Defence Attaché and Head Australian Defence Staff in Washington, DC.

He was chief executive of major defence contractor Lockheed Martin Australia & New Zealand for more than five years, retiring in January 2017.

Rear Admiral Gates will divide his time between Perth and Canberra and be supported by the Office of Defence West within the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation.

Indian and Australian navies hit the seas for maritime exercise

16 June 2017

Three Indian warships are visiting Western Australia this week for a bilateral maritime exercise set to further develop defence co-operation between the two countries.

Taking place off the Western Australian coast, the joint maritime exercise is the second professional interaction between the two navies after a successful exercise in India in 2015.

The exercise involves Indian Navy Ships Shivalik, Jyoti and Kamorta which are in Fremantle from June 13 to 17, 2017. The Royal Australian Navy is represented by HMAS Newcastle, HMAS Waller and Clearance Diving Team Four.

More than a dozen companies from France will visit Western Australia this week as part of an important trade mission to meet with local businesses and observe common-use infrastructure.

A total of 26 delegates from 13 French businesses will tour the Australian Marine Complex - Common User Facility in Henderson, which has been chosen as one of two national shipbuilding locations.

Henderson has been confirmed as the nation's minor naval vessel hub with the majority of 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels to be built in WA along with up to 21 Pacific Patrol Boats.Click here to read more

Defence West to champion interests of the industry and create jobs

26 May 2017
A fresh approach to the State's defence industry is about to commence with the launch of Defence West, a new body which will work to secure more defence work for Western Australia and create jobs for Western Australians.

Premier Mark McGowan and Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia announced the State Government would soon meet its election commitment to establish a specialised defence office.

Defence West will prepare a defence strategy to guide its efforts in actively campaigning to secure a greater share of Australia's defence contracts for the State.

The Western Australian Government acknowledges Federal Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne's endorsement of Civmec's $80 million expansion to deliver naval shipbuilding and maintenance in WA.

The project, which involves constructing Australia's biggest undercover shipbuilding space, puts the Henderson facility in line to house complete air warfare destroyers and frigates as well as offshore patrol vessels for construction and maintenance.

Mr Pyne's visit to the site today is a clear sign he supports and endorses the Western Australian shipbuilding industry's investment to increase its capabilities and capacity.